Polarization-insensitive electroabsorption in strained GaInAs/AlInAs quantum well structures

The polarization-dependent electroabsorption in lattice-matched and strained GaInAs/AlInAs quantum well structures is studied using photocurrent spectral measurements. The results show that the application of a biaxial tensile strain by the appropriate selection of the Ga mole fraction and the well size reduces the difference between the transition energies of the heavy and light holes due to quantization, while a compressive strain further enhances the polarization dependence.>